Wednesday, October 4, 2006

We'll be sitting (well, mostly standing actually) in our birding tower with a few friends. We've done the Big Sit at our farm for each of the past 11 years. Eight of those we've conducted from our birding tower (which I dreamt of building for years, basically to improve our Big Sit totals).

We've had many friends join us over the years. There are the die-hard regulars that make it almost every year: Steve, Shila, Lucine, Ava, and others. And there are some folks who make it every once in a while (and we're always happy to see them, and will miss a few this year: Hobart, that's you!).

It's the most casual of birding events. Lots of birds, then lots of food, more birds, afternoon conversations, lots of very bad jokes, then happy hour at 4 pm (when the eagle or peregrine is usually conjured). Then a rush of birds at dusk followed by many wistful goodbyes.

I normally find myself alone in the tower between midnight and 2 am at the start of the Sit, and from 9 to 10 pm at the end. At the end of the Sit I'm hoping to add a bird--maybe an owl we missed before dawn, or a woodcock or a flyover veery. But really, I just don't want the day to end.

It's peaceful up there in the damp fall night air. I think back over the day and over the years of the Big Sit at our farm. If we've set a new record, I bask in the glory and whisper a thank you to the record-setting species. If we've missed the record, I think about all the great birds that were here just yesterday! And all the birds I'll see tomorrow.

The Big Sit is, by far, my favorite birding event of the year. I hope you'll create a Big Sit circle and enjoy this year's event. It's free and fun, so what's not to llike? I love thinking about all the Big Sit circles all over the world--small groups of friends, gathered in some birdy spot, enjoying the birds . . . but mostly just enjoying each other's company.

For more info on the Big Sit, [which is a registered trademark of The New Haven Connecticut Bird Club], get thee here.

In case you missed it, my charming, talented, hot-shot-birder wife Julie Zickefoose had a Big Sit-themed commentary on NPR yesterday (October 3, 2006). You can listen to it here. And you can visit Julie's much more interesting and literate blog here.

The Big Sit on the tower was a highlight of my birding life. There I learned the value of sedentary, binocular zooming, story telling, bird counting life style. I was awed by the capabilities of Bill of The Birds and Bird Brain McCormac in putting down the cheese puffins. Great Memories. Sorry I can't be there this year. Share the results.Wilderness Bill

About Bill

Bill of the Birds

Bill Thompson III is the editor of Bird Watcher's Digest by day. He's also a keen birder, the author of many books, a dad, a field trip leader, an ecotourism consultant, a guitar player, the host of the "This Birding Life" podcast, a regular speaker/performer on the birding festival circuit, a gentleman farmer, and a fungi to be around. His North American life list is somewhere between 673 and 675. His favorite bird is the red-headed woodpecker. His "spark bird" was a snowy owl. He has watched birds in 25 countries and 44 states. But his favorite place to watch birds is on the 80-acre farm he shares with his wife, artist/writer Julie Zickefoose. Some kind person once called Bill "The Pied Piper of Birding" and he has been trying to live up to that moniker ever since.